


learning curve

by dyadinbloom



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, College Student Rey (Star Wars), Eventual Smut, F/M, Graduate Student Rey (Star Wars), Identity Reveal, M/M, Professor Ben Solo, Slow Burn, Writer Rey (Star Wars), ben and rey argue about english, ben is very old school about literature, disrupting antiquated notions of learning since 2003, i am very passionate about this if you cannot tell, read like a writer, rey is a modern thinker who loves writing, the most meta thing a writer can write about is...writing, write what you know, writing saves lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:07:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29157069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dyadinbloom/pseuds/dyadinbloom
Summary: She stared at Ben now, the long ends of his hair brushing over his neck, upon which he occasionally rested his fingers when he propped his head into his hand. Rey mused that he looked a bit like Kylo Ren, and found herself imagining her villainous hero reading quietly, perhaps endearing him to Kira, who might accidentally stumble upon him in a moment of literary repose…Professor Ben Solo has long been revered as a stickler in the English department, a grammarian and literary genius, and an expert in his field. Transfer graduate student Rey, who writes fanfic with every moment of her spare time, has very different ideas on the writing process, creativity, and the rules in which Ben so fervently believes. When circumstances force Rey to unexpectedly GA for Ben's summer class, their ideals, works, and worlds collide.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 12
Kudos: 52
Collections: The Workshop





	1. brainstorm

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaybohls](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaybohls/gifts), [EquusGirl0621](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EquusGirl0621/gifts), [ekayla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ekayla/gifts), [Somewhere_overthe_Reylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somewhere_overthe_Reylo/gifts), [bazaroff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bazaroff/gifts).



> This work is dedicated to my sprinting pals, my fellow HELions, my pocket friends: thank you for teaching me so much about writing, the creative process, and the pleasure and power of reading. Your collective awesomeness has renewed my passion for literacy and this whole fic is my attempt to honor that. Each of you have inspired me more than you might know...so this one's for you. Love you, ladies!

The clattering of her keyboard was something Rey couldn’t hear, lost as she was in the story flying from her fingertips and the music blasting in her eardrums. Her head bobbed to the beat of the electronica in her AirPods, knees bouncing frantically as she typed furiously, the keyboard of her little MacBook Pro glowing beneath her hands in the darkness of her room.

Kylo Ren was so close to turning—why couldn’t the stubborn idiot just _turn_ , already? Even in her stories, he was still such a nerfherder.

Rey grumbled as she forced Kylo to let down his guard, to let Kira in, to grab a chance at happiness and take her proffered hand. She paused to gulp down some water, stretching her spine as she stared at her computer monitor, rereading the frankly wooden words on her screen. Even in fanfiction, redemption arcs were no cakewalk.

Rey groaned. Well, it was shit, but at least it was a first draft. Rey could work with a shitty first draft far more easily than a blank page.

She stood and yanked out her earbuds, grabbing her water bottle and stalking toward the kitchen for a refill. Kylo Ren was an idiot, and was constantly making idiotic choices, even in fic, but she loved him too much to quit writing him.

And writing what one loved was the only reason to write, Rey firmly believed. She wrote all the time and couldn’t have been happier: fic for her friends and fans, papers and theses for her graduate studies, comments and questions to students she GA’d for, thoughtful emails to professors and fellow grad students.

She’d written her way out of a shitty childhood and into a great career, and she’d forever be grateful for the power of words. They were the whole reason she had chosen to major in linguistics and creative writing: to share that power with others, and to practice it her whole life long.

Rey’s daydreams were interrupted by the trickle of water overflowing her bottle’s edges, streaming over her fingers and making her shriek.

She heard a slam, almost at the same time, and squeezed the bottle reflexively, blasting herself in the face with icy water.

Rey stood, frozen, gasping for breath, and opened her eyes slowly when she heard the hysterical laughter of her roommate. Finn stood on the other side of the counter, clutching his sides in hysterics at the picture Rey painted—which was probably of a wet cat, at the moment, and the image made her crack a smile.

“Thanks for scaring me to death,” she said, wiping water from her cheeks.

Finn let out one last wheeze and stood upright, grasping the counter. “Seeing that was priceless. You were totally lost in your thoughts, until you took that impromptu cold shower.”

“Oh well,” Rey said, taking a sip of the water she wasn’t even thirsty for anymore. “So, how was class?”

“Ugh,” Finn grumbled, removing his messenger bag from over his shoulder and letting it fall to the floor with a heavy _thud._ “Good, but I swear, I’m going to lose 10 pounds this summer teaching that class in the heat of the day, in that insanely old building without air conditioning.”

Rey grimaced in sympathy. “Yeah, Millenium Hall isn’t my favorite.”

Finn snorted. “Listen, we didn’t all grow up in the desert. Not everyone can handle the heat!”

Rey smiled. Finn was one of the only people who could tease her about being a desert rat; he was one of the only people, period, who even knew about her childhood.

“Still, only one more day of the session. You ready for the grading marathon?”

Finn brightened at that idea. “Actually, Holdo is really awesome and didn’t assign some final term paper or something horribly labor intensive. Everyone did a big project and we spent class today presenting them; we’ll finish up tomorrow, do evals, and then I’m home free!”

Rey smiled at her friend. “That’s awesome! And then you have...what, a whole two days free before you start your next session?”

His face transformed into a scowl. “Yeah, ugh. I am _not_ looking forward to it. I know I’ll learn a lot GAing for Solo, but I’ve heard he’s a terror to work with.”

Rey shrugged; as a transfer student, she wouldn’t officially start as a graduate assistant until the fall, and hadn’t met many of the faculty as of yet. “You get along with everyone, Finn. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

With a yawn, Finn nodded. “I’m gonna shower. Pizza, then movie night?”

“Can we watch episode eight again?” At Finn’s long-suffering groan, Rey wheedled, “pleeeeeease!?”

He yelled an affirmative of some sort as he disappeared down the hall, and Rey fist-pumped in victory. Finn was definitely her favorite human, and his willingness to rewatch her favorite installment of the Galaxy Wars saga repeatedly was definitely a huge reason why.

* * *

The next morning, after a rousing viewing of _The Final Swordsman,_ Rey plodded through campus, searching for a coffee shop Finn had recommended she try. She’d only been in Naboo for a few weeks, and with the hubbub of moving in she hadn’t really had a chance to explore. Campus was lovely in the morning, warm but free of the humidity that would settle over the concrete later in the day. Rey thought about how gorgeous it would be in the fall, when leaves crunched under her feet and she could trade her tank tops for cardigans.

Finn’s recommendation, Caf, was uptown, nestled on High Street between a bodega and a bookstore, and Rey crossed through a courtyard to enter through the windowpane door. When it was cooler, she would no doubt post herself at one of the picnic tables to do some writing, enjoying a hot latte and the twinkle lights strung overhead.

A cheery bell tinkled as Rey entered the shop, and she glanced around at the mismatched armchairs and wooden tables scattered about. The walls were painted a warm yellow, wherever they were visible behind cluttered bookshelves and eclectic art prints. Only a few people were in the cafe this early, most of them alone, tables piled with laptops and notebooks, and in one case, just a newspaper.

“Morning,” chirped the barista from behind the counter, and Rey turned to smile at her.

“Hello,” she said, stepping up to the register and peering at the chalkboard menu above the woman. “Any seasonal specials?” she wondered.

“We have the Sunup special, which is an iced flavored latte and a bagel, and also our coffee of the week, which is a Snickers latte you can get iced or blended.”

“Holy crap, that sounds delicious,” Rey said, pulling out her wallet. “Take my money.”

The woman laughed. “We’d be happy to,” she joked. “I’m Rose, by the way. First time with us at Caf?”

“It is,” Rey agreed, giving Rose her credit card and her name, spelling it out quickly. Rose dashed off R-E-Y on the side of a tall clear cup, then grabbed a wrapped item from the bakery case to her side. “A Snickerdoodle to go with your drink, on the house, as a welcome.”

Rey grinned in disbelief. “You are too kind. Thank you so much,” she gushed. Rey had a feeling she’d become a regular at Caf if these sugary drink specials and matching desserts were on offer.

Rose smiled back, her grin infectious as she began to brew espresso for Rey’s drink. “So, new to campus?”

Rey nodded and watched as Rose competently built her latte, liberally dousing the sides of the cup with chocolate and caramel sauces, then pumping in cinnamon and almond syrups before adding cold milk and the steaming shots of espresso.

“This looks amazing,” Rey said, watching as Rose dumped in ice and added whipped cream with a sprinkle of nutmeg before sliding it across the counter to Rey. Without hesitation, Rey lifted the drink to her lips and took a hefty sip. “Ohmygod,” she mumbled, well aware that she had a whipped cream mustache and a look of pure bliss covering her face. “ _Delishush_ ,” she murmured, sipping the coffee again. “I really hope I can get this even if it’s not on special.”

“Of course,” Rose said, grinning as she wiped down the espresso machine. “We have one customer who is still getting a special I made up two years ago, even though no one else liked it and we haven’t featured it since.”

Rey laughed. “I’d love to see that one.”

“Oh,” Rose said, glancing up as the bell to the shop chimed. “Here he is, actually. Hey, Ben!” Rose waved, and Rey turned to see who it was that was obsessed with this obscure drink.

Rey paused with her coffee halfway to her lips, deciding she needed to drink in this new arrival more urgently than she needed caffeine. He was tall and broad, with heavy shoulders that strained the black v-neck tee shirt he wore over them. Dark jeans clung to his trim hips and stretched down his long legs.

But his most arresting features appeared when Rey slid her glance back up his body, landing on his thick black hair and heavy brows, nearly hidden behind black-framed glasses that rested on a beakish nose. His strong features were balanced by a lush mouth and a strong jaw, and Rey quickly closed her own as she finished her awkward staring and turned to find a table.

She furtively listened as Ben ordered “the usual,” talking softly with Rose as she rang him up and prepared a hot drink of some sort. His voice was deep and resonant, and Rey found her ears straining toward it even as she unpacked her bag, dumping some notebooks onto the table she’d found beside a window. She plopped her laptop on top, opening it up and looking around for the wifi password, hoping to find it written somewhere.

“Doubleshot,” she heard, and glanced up to find the sexy man—Ben, Rose had called him—standing near her table with a half smile on his face. “One word.” 

“Thanks,” Rey said, smiling as she tapped in the password. “How’d you know what I was looking for?”

He shrugged his broad shoulders, the gesture somehow elegant as it shifted the strap of his bag. “I know pretty much everyone who comes in at this hour. I haven’t seen you before.”

“It’s my first visit, but I think I’m already addicted,” Rey said, taking a sip of her drink as an afterthought. She moaned quietly at the delicious blend of flavors, licking her lower lip quickly to catch the whipped cream she was pretty sure she’d left there in her enthusiasm. Damn, face to face with a hot guy, and she was already reverting to her food-first habits.

“Sorry,” she said quickly, and was it her imagination, or did his eyes flick up from her lips to meet hers? “I’m Rey,” she added. “And thank you for the wifi password.”

“Ben,” he said, smiling and extending a hand. Rey placed her hand in his, watching as his fingers swallowed hers as they clasped over the screen of her laptop, and her breath hitched. Rey was worried for an instant that the spark leaping between them could possibly fry her computer.

“Hi,” she breathed, withdrawing her fingers from his reluctantly, tracking his hand as he shoved it in his pocket, and she darted her eyes to where the long fingers of his free hand held his coffee, which steamed slightly in the cool morning light.

“Well, nice to meet you, Rey,” Ben murmured. “I’d better get to work, but I’m here at this time most mornings. I’ll hope to bump into you again.” With a smile, he turned to an empty table, unloading a similar pile of electronics and books, and Rey had to shake her head to return her mind to the present.

When she finally managed to concentrate, all her work was done with the faintest of smiles on her face. A firm believer in omens, Rey felt that her studies at Naboo University were going to be wonderful, if the smoothness of her move, the fascinating aspects of her courses, and the friendliness of the locals was any indication.

* * *

Rey worked through the morning, switching from her iced latte to water when the sun rose high enough in the sky to cast a glare on her laptop screen. She’d gotten absorbed in her writing, bouncing back and forth between her latest chapter and her writer friends’ group chat. Ben was still working a few tables away, though his laptop was closed and he appeared to be reading through an anthology of some sort.

She stared at him now, the long ends of his hair brushing over his neck, upon which he occasionally rested his fingers when he propped his head into his hand. Rey mused that he looked a bit like Kylo Ren, and found herself imagining her villainous hero reading quietly, perhaps endearing him to Kira, who might accidentally stumble upon him in a moment of literary repose…

Rey clicked back into her document in a hurry, jotting down her ideas before they scuttled out of her mind. Her head bobbed to her music as she typed furiously, and she smiled in satisfaction when she felt she’d captured the scene well on paper a half hour later.

When she looked up, she realized with a pang that Ben was gone, and with him, her inspiration.

Sighing, Rey packed up for the morning, glad she was dressed appropriately for the sweltering heat the morning sun had brought on. The walk back to her apartment was a hot one, and her shirt clung stubbornly to her lower back by the time she made it home.

She called out a greeting to Finn as she dropped her bag by the door, basking in the air conditioning as she toed out of her flip-flops, already dreaming of a cool shower.

“Peanut! You will never guess—could never _imagine—_ oh my god, I just can’t even—”

“Whoa, Finn, slow down,” Rey laughed.

Finn raked a hand through his short dreadlocks, his eyes wild as he grinned maniacally at Rey. “So, okay, gonna try to say this in one go. Poe entered this sweepstakes awhile back, an all-expense paid cruise, blah blah blah, and we totally forgot about it—but _guess what!!!?”_ Finn looked positively gleeful. “He won it!”

“Wow!” Rey exclaimed. “That’s awesome, Finn! Congratulations! When do you get to go?”

Finn’s face fell. “Well, that’s the thing. We’d fly out on Monday, and be gone for two weeks. But there’s no way I can go. I have to GA for that class.”

Rey tutted in sympathy. “I’m sorry, Finn. Isn’t there any way for you to transfer it?”

Finn shook his head sadly. “I don’t think so. Poe’s calling around now to see, but I think the only thing you can do is gift the cruise to someone else.” He laughed humorlessly. “You want to see the Caribbean with my boyfriend, Rey?”

Rey shoved him. “Don’t be absurd. There’s an obvious solution here. I’ll take your assistantship this session, and you go have fun!”

Finn looked at her blankly. “Rey, that isn’t gonna fly. Professor Solo would never hear of it, first of all, and, besides, I don’t even know if you’re enrolled in the university network, or approved to GA classes, or—”

Rey laughed. “Don’t be absurd, Finn. That was all set up before I even moved. I’ve been tinkering around with my fall course layouts already. And I’m plenty qualified to GA, since I did that for a year at Jakku U, so all we have to do is get this approved by Phasma and we’ll be good to go.” She grabbed her phone. “Let me call her now. She likes me...I think she wants as many scrappy women in our department as possible.”

Finn danced around behind her while Rey made the call, grinning as she explained the situation to Phasma, and answered her questions about Rey’s qualifications to help assist Professor Solo in the creative linguistics course. 

“Great! Thank you so much, Dr. Phasma. I’ll wait for your emails connecting me with the course dashboard and with Professor Solo. I appreciate your flexibility and I’m really looking forward to getting started on my studies early! Yes, you too. Bye!”

She hung up and let out a screech, Finn leaping in excitement beside her. “Rey, I owe you one—this is wonderful, thank you so much!”

She hugged her best friend. “Don’t mention it. I’d just be sitting here bored for the next four weeks, so I may as well get to work. The courses are done by two in the afternoon, anyway, so I’ll still have plenty of free time. You go enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”

Finn was already on the phone with Poe, telling his boyfriend of three years the good news. Rey smiled to herself, glad for her friend’s opportunity to relax, and hoping that Poe would finally pop the question she knew he’d been dying to ask. 

* * *

Later that evening, Rey bounced between her many open browser tabs—her latest update, which was taking a decidedly poetic turn as Kira stumbled upon Kylo sketching instead of paying attention to a meeting; her writing group server, where her friends were delighted by her surprise teaching opportunity; and her email inbox, where she’d eagerly clicked in to her fresh access to the course dashboard for ENG 332. She re-read the email from Phasma now, grinning a bit at how well the course themes seemed to fit her interests, eagerly waiting for the syllabus to finish printing at her side.

 **From:** gphasmaeddchair@naboou.edu **  
** **To:** rkenobi2111@naboou.edu; bsolophd@naboou.edu **  
** **Cc:** fstorm2187@naboou.edu **  
****Subject:** ENG 332 Change in GA

_Good afternoon, Professor Solo and Ms. Kenobi—_

_Due to unforeseen circumstances, Mr. Storm will not be able to complete the full graduate assistantship assigned to him for the summer session. Ms. Kenobi is highly qualified to serve as his replacement, and her access to the course dashboard, student grading portal, and course materials have been granted. Ms. Kenobi assures me she is familiar with the content and readings, and that she will peruse them more thoroughly this weekend._

_Please correspond with one another with any concerns, and I thank you both in advance for your cooperation in making this transition seamless._

_Take care,  
_ _Gwen_

 **_Gwendolyn Phasma, EdD  
_** **_English Department Chair_ **

Rey wiggled in her seat with glee, clicking back into her writing server to see her friends’ messages of enthusiasm continuing.

**_sexyLexi at 7:42 pm_ **   
_Rey, this is so awesome. You are going to rock this course! Everyone will learn so much from you!_

**_mamaHannah at 7:44 pm_ **   
_Congrats, Rey! Not only will you get to teach, you’ll get to learn from lots of other writers (almost) as amazing as you!_

**_steviecuddles at 7:45 pm_ **   
_Rey, this is wonderful news! Are you excited? Do you feel ready?_

**_eekaythegeekay at 7:46 pm_ **   
_AL;SDKJFAOIUEJ REYYYY THIS IS AWESOME, CONGRATS!!!!!! What is the prof like? Tell us all about the syllabus!!_

**_1witchywoman at 7:48 pm_ **   
_REY. Those kids are lucky to have you. I wish I’d had a GA like you in college! Writing courses would have been a lot more fun!_

**_reyreybutt at 7:55 pm_ **   
_Wow, sorry for the delay, all, but I just got the syllabus printed...and it’s 20 pages of insanity lmao_   
_There’s so much on here...like, chaucer? And shakespeare? This is supposed to be about creative writing_   
_And there are weekly productivity requirements? And they’re length-based? Where has this guy been, in a pedagogical hole for the last 10 years? Hasn’t he heard of the concept of unique writing processes, dynamic instruction, individualized assessment?_

**_sexyLexi at 7:56 pm_ **   
_LMAOOOOO Rey getting feisty. Idk what language you’re speaking but let me know if I need to beat some ass._

**_eekaythegeekay at 7:57 pm_ **  
_Haha Rey, I’m sure he will be open to learning from you. You’re so great at this.  
_ _(Wait, I’m being sexist. Is the professor a man? I feel like with notions that outdated I’m making an assumption, but am I correct?)_

**_mamaHannah at 7:58 pm_ **   
_Lol you’re so nice…$20 says he’s a man, payable in girl scout cookies_

**_reyreybutt at 7:58 pm_ **   
_LOL yeah he’s a dude, Finn has talked about how strict he is_   
_Sounds like an old guy probably; I know he’s already tenured. Le sigh_

**_1witchywoman at 7:59 pm_ **   
_Don’t worry, Rey. You’ll win him over. If not, I’ll mail you some stuff to hex him._

**_steviecuddles at 8:01 pm_ **   
_< <<<<<<<<<<<44444brrrrireuiiejijfjfjjeeieirbrrrrr_

**_sexyLexi at 8:02 pm_ **   
_Lol hi kitty_

**_mamaHannah at 8:02 pm_ **   
_LOL hello there!_

**_steviecuddles at 8:02 pm_ **   
_Ugh sorry guys that cat is a menace, I stg_

Rey laughed aloud at her friends’ antics, their familiarity as comforting as a cozy blanket, as she clicked back to her email tab. An auto-reply has bounced back to the email from Phasma.

 **From:** bsolophd@naboou.edu **  
** **To:** rkenobi2211@naboou.edu; gphasmaeddchair@naboou.edu **  
** **Cc:** fstorm2187@naboou.edu **  
** **Subject:** [AUTO-REPLY: ENG 332 Change in GA]

_Thank you for your email. I am out of the office until Monday and look forward to meeting new students and discussing any questions at that time. Please refer to the course dashboard and attached syllabus for more information._

_Regards,  
_ _BOS_

 **_Professor B. Solo, PhD  
_** **_Assistant Chair, English Department_ **

Rey snorted a bit. Professor B.O., huh? She painted a picture in her mind of her soon-to-be colleague: outdated teaching methods, antiquated text choices, old-man email signature.

She sighed. This guy was guaranteed to be a pain, and based on his email message, he wouldn’t even find out about the change and her existence until right before the first class session began.

Rey highly doubted if that would go over well with Dr. B.O. She amused herself by imagining what his full name was. Bartholomew? Bob? No, that would make his initials R.O….Bert? She snorted as she crossed the room to grab a snack for some writing fuel.

By the time she returned to her desk, a bag of chips in hand, she’d pushed the mystery of her stuffy colleague out of her mind, and was ready to lose herself in the intriguing world of Kylo and Kira. Their mystical connection and idiots-in-love antics were far more interesting to her than whatever she’d be dealing with come Monday. She laid the syllabus on the corner of her desk, resolving to read it more carefully tomorrow, and leapt into her story.

It was—she mused to herself as she turned her music back on, earbuds bopping in time with the beat—her favorite place to be.


	2. schools of thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey attends her first class session as a GA and is more than shocked to discover the identity of Professor Solo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick shout-out to my friends, to whom this fic is dedicated, for being true emergency pocket friends as Rey's are for her in this chapter. In a crisis or out, you guys are the best! xoxo

After a relaxing weekend of repeat viewings of her favorite _Galaxy Wars_ film, an entertaining series of shopping excursions and packing activities with Finn, and equal parts course prep and last-minute writing, Monday dawned early for Rey.

She dressed carefully, choosing a yellow sundress with a lightweight wrap, paired with strappy brown sandals. She curled her hair, applied lipstick, and even added some mascara. Her thoroughly annotated syllabus, course texts, and laptop were lined up neatly in her messenger bag, and she was out the door with an hour to spare.

Rey walked to Caf, deciding she’d make it part of her daily ritual before going to class, and let her mind wander to her most recent chapter. The paths through campus were wide and straight, so it was easy for Rey to let her attention dwell on the characters who lived in her head.

It didn’t take long for her thoughts to venture from a certain dark-haired space prince to one raven-haired campus hottie. As Caf came into sight, Rey was eager to meet Ben again.

This time, when she entered the cafe, Ben was already seated, utterly absorbed in whatever seemed to be concerning him on his laptop. He was dressed more professionally today, wearing a blazer and dark pants. Though he wore glasses, his eyes were narrowed in consternation as he glared at his computer screen.

Rey decided to avoid interrupting him, hoping he’d glance her way after she ordered, and she approached the counter. Rose gave her a smile and a wave.

“Morning, Rey,” she greeted. “Good weekend?”

“Very relaxing,” Rey agreed with a smile. “A new special this week, or is Snickers still calling my name?”

Rose shook her head with a grin. “Nope. This week we’re featuring an iced raspberry chai latte—and it’s not only delicious, it’s gorgeous.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “Okay, yet again, take my money.” She pulled out her wallet and glanced around for the specials board. “I know you’ve got a nickname for it, though.”

“Oh, for sure,” Rose said, lowering her voice. “I call it ‘Poppin’ Your Raspberry,’ but I decided not to put that in writing anywhere.”

Rey’s shoulders shook with silent laughter as she swiped her credit card. “I think our senses of humor might be identical, Rose.”

Rose grinned. “Did we just become best friends?”

Rey laughed and made small talk as Rose fixed her drink, learning that Rose was the manager of Caf and had taken over the position after her older sister, Paige, had moved away. It turns out that Poe was the manager before that, which explained Finn’s obsession with the coffee shop.

Rose slid a beautiful pink beverage across the counter to Rey, the swirls of raspberry syrup still moving in the milk and tea mixture Rose had poured in simultaneously. Rey took a sip and moaned in delight.

“This is becoming a Pavlovian response, or something—I don’t think I’ll ever be disappointed by something I try here, Rose.” Rey sipped again. The drink was delicious—sweet yet spicy, and Rey found her thoughts pulled to the characterization, which was apt for Kira.

She thanked Rose again and found a table quickly, pulling out her laptop to write down her ideas before they leaked out of her brain amid the crowded thoughts of her other obligations. Rey typed furiously, entirely focused on the thought of Kylo daydreaming about his love-slash-enemy, wondering why she was so prickly toward him and sweet to others, extending the line of thought to muse about how her kisses might be similarly gentle yet fierce.

By the time she finished writing the scene, Rey had just enough time to click over into her email before she needed to walk to class.

 **To** : rkenobi2111@naboou.edu  
 **From** : bsolophd@naboou.edu  
 **Cc** :  gphasmaeddchair@naboou.edu; fstorm2187@naboou.edu  
 **Subject:** Disappointing

_All—_

_I confess I was taken aback by the sudden change of plans as to my assigned GA for this session of ENG 332. The course is very intensive even when offered during the fall or spring semesters, but is quite a bit more work—for students and instructors—when offered in the summer session. As such, additional preparation of GAs is desirable to ensure that students have access to the help they will no doubt require. It is disappointing to realize that our students will be let down by this sudden change, and that these modifications were made without consulting me._

_However, a lack of GA would be a more problematic result of this situation than an amateur one, so I will endeavor to prepare Ms. Kenobi as well as I can to be helpful. Please plan on staying for a few hours after our first class today, Ms. Kenobi, so we can review my expectations._

_Regards,  
_ _BOS_

 **_Professor B. Solo, PhD  
_ ** **_Assistant Chair, English Department_ **

“What the actual fuck,” Rey muttered to herself, scowling at her screen. It was the work of a moment to craft no fewer than 68 internal, harsh responses to this email, but she decided to give Professor Solo a piece of her mind aloud when she met him in a few minutes.

Grumbling to herself, Rey slammed the lid of her laptop shut and rehearsed a few choice words as she jammed her belongings into her messenger bag. She realized with a jolt of disappointment that she’d finished her drink _and_ somehow lost sight of Ben while preoccupied with her email. What a bastard this Professor Solo was shaping up to be, ruining her enjoyment of her caffeine and her eye candy!

Rose waved goodbye to her as Rey swept out the door, and Rey was in the act of returning the gesture when she stumbled into someone.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she began, looking up to see who she’d crashed into. “Oh, hey, Ben!” Rey saw that he’d been approaching the door from the opposite direction, and surmised he must have been in the restroom when she’d looked for him.

He grinned down at her now—from this close, their height difference was more than apparent. His jaw was freshly shaved, full lips stretched over a unique smile, those hot glasses framing his golden brown eyes beautifully. “Hey, Rey,” he greeted her, and she shivered at how deep and pleasant his voice was. She could listen to him talk for hours. “Heading out?”

“I am,” she agreed, a little flustered, and they stepped out into the summer sunshine together.

“Did you have a nice weekend?” he asked, and gestured with one broad palm for her to precede him through the little courtyard.

“I did,” she agreed, walking ahead, highly conscious of his proximity to her. “And you?”

“It was relaxing. I unplugged, which is a priority of mine right before a new course starts.” He smiled and sipped at the coffee he held. Dammit, she should have gotten a refill before leaving—yet another thing Professor Solo had ruined for her. “Are you heading to campus?”

“I am,” she said, and they fell into step together as they walked down the main street toward the red brick buildings of Naboo U. “I’m looking forward to the new session starting today. I’m a transfer student, so it’ll be my first class on campus.” Rey smiled at the thought, eager to go toe-to-toe with this idiotic professor who thought he knew everything there was to know about writing. She’d show him.

“That’s exciting,” Ben murmured, adjusting the strap of his leather messenger bag on his shoulder as they walked. She could tell he was shortening his pace for her, and the gesture struck her as unexpectedly sweet. Something thrummed between them, something that drew her to him and made her extremely aware of his presence. He was attractive, well-spoken, _and_ considerate. She sighed a little under her breath.

“How about you?” she asked, after a moment of companionable silence. “Teaching a new class this session?”

Ben grimaced. “Well, it’s not new to me, but it will be my first time working with some new colleagues.” He rubbed his jaw with his free hand, and Rey’s eyes traced his long fingers and neatly trimmed nails.

She swallowed her attraction, wishing for a coffee to hide behind, eager to study him more carefully. “Is it a course you enjoy?” she asked, anticipating the resonant timbre of his voice with something akin to hunger.

He pursed his lips a moment before responding, and Rey nearly expired on the spot. Every gesture, every word, every move made him more alluring to her. “It is. Probably my favorite, in fact. I just want it to be enjoyable for my students, as well, and with these changes, I have no idea if it will be.” Ben’s jaw tightened, and Rey could see a trace of the power in him then; he was a large man, after all, and she’d bet he could be very intimidating when he wanted to be.

“I hope it goes well for you,” Rey said sincerely, turning to look up at him as they walked. His eyes held hers, and he smiled, gratitude evident in his eyes.

“Thanks, Rey. And I hope your first course goes well, too.”

The steps of Millenium Hall loomed in front of them. Rey could tell it had once been a beautiful building, but it was showing its age when compared to the newer, more modern buildings on campus. The steps bore cracks and crumbles, the columns that flanked the doors faded to a sad yellow from their old ivory state.

“Well, this is me,” Ben said, gesturing to the building. “Will you be at Caf again tomorrow?”

Rey smiled and nodded. “I will. I’m in Millenium, too.” They climbed the steps together, Rey glancing around for a restroom and finding one quickly in the lobby. She paused beside the entrance, glancing at Ben. “I’ll look forward to hearing about how your day goes today, Ben.” She was rewarded with a little grin from him.

“Me too,” he said. “See you tomorrow, Rey.” He turned away from her, and Rey lingered where she stood, watching his powerful legs carry him up the marble steps of the old building, and she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face as she freshened up before class.

* * *

As she washed her hands in the bathroom sink, Rey stared at herself in the mirror, giving herself the mental pep talk she knew she’d need in order to survive Professor Bastard Solo. 

“You got this, you beautiful bitch,” she whispered fervently to herself, and fluffed her curls a bit. She swiped on a fresh coat of fuschia lipstick, ready to slay this asshole, inspire students, and revel in her love of writing.

“Nobody is gonna ruin that for me,” Rey vowed to the mirror. With a nod, she hitched her messenger bag onto her shoulder and strode out of the restroom and down the corridor, heels clicking fiercely, until she found room 102. She took a deep breath and crossed the threshold, plastering a bright smile on her face.

In her sundress and sweater, Rey looked a little more formal than the students, who were a tired early-morning assortment in athleisure clothing or jeans and tee shirts. The class was more crowded than she’d anticipated, and the auditorium-style seats were about half full. Rey wrinkled her nose; it’d make writing discussions more difficult with this style of seating, but they’d have to make do.

She cast her gaze around for Professor Dickwad as she walked down the platform steps on one side of the classroom, her gaze locking on a tall form writing on the dry erase board at the front. _Welcome,_ he’d scrawled in large letters, blue marker bold against the white surface. He began to turn, and it was as though he were in slow motion as Rey’s gaze tracked the familiar lines of his body.

That angular jaw, sharp nose, wavy black hair. Those black-framed glasses and whiskey-brown eyes. The broadness of his shoulders beneath the blazer, the way his legs seemed to stretch on and on in their dark pants.

“ _Ben?_ ” she hissed, incredulous. 

“Rey,” he said, his tone warm and far more pleasant than hers. “Are you taking 332?” His smile was so kind, and her brain was short-circuiting: surely this gorgeous man couldn’t be the crotchety grump from her email inbox?

“Rey?” he prodded.

Shaking her head, Rey looked at him in consternation. “Um, no, actually...I mean, I am Rey, but I’m not a student. I’m the grad assistant.” She shifted, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. “My friend Finn is the one I’m covering for.”

It was like watching a curtain fall over his face, the way his brows lowered and jaw clenched when he heard this news. It would have been an attractive curtain, Rey mused, were it not for the fact that she was the obvious cause of his disdain.

“Oh.” With nothing more, he turned away from her and strode to the podium, grasping a large pile of syllabi with one hand and his coffee with the other. He thrust the papers toward her. “Here. You can hand these out.”

Rey laughed. “I’m not a _classroom helper,_ Professor Solo. I don’t hand out papers.” She thunked her bag onto the ground, not troubling to keep her voice low. The nerve of this man, treating her like some idiotic undergrad, and not the Master’s-educated woman she was.

He stood there dumbly, getting less attractive by the second as Rey realized he truly was expecting her to _pass out papers_ rather than assisting with lectures, taking the lead on grading, or working with students during office hours.

“Well—”

“Jesus,” she muttered, and grabbed the stack of papers. Rey stomped over to the student closest to her in the front row. “Here. Take one and pass it.”

Rey turned on her heel and marched back to the lectern area. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” she said, sticking a hand out to Ben. “I’m Rey Kenobi.”

Ben ignored her hand. “Professor Solo,” he murmured, not looking at Rey. “We’ll discuss this after class today. For now, let’s just try to make it through to the break.”

“I don’t know what you’re used to in your GAs,” Rey hissed, “but I can tell you, I’m here to learn _by teaching._ I’ve memorized the syllabus, read all the assigned texts, and have even taught with most of the materials you’ve listed.”

Ben huffed out a breath, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. _Just you wait,_ Rey thought to herself. _You haven’t seen anything yet._

“Ms. Kenobi, as I’ve stated.” He paused to clear his throat, and Rey couldn’t help the way her eyes were drawn to his large hand as he fisted it in front of his mouth. “We will discuss this after class. Please...well, perhaps you won’t take a seat, but please make yourself comfortable while we begin.” Ben turned away from her and shuffled some more papers on the lectern as the clock slowly ticked over to the top of the hour.

“Good morning, everyone,” he began, his voice as smooth and deep as dark chocolate, and Rey watched as the students ceased their murmuring, sitting up straighter in their chairs. _Damn,_ Rey thought. _I need to learn to use a teacher voice like_ that.

“Welcome to English 332, or ‘Linguistics, Creativity, and the Writing Process.’ My name is Dr. Solo and I will be your professor for this summer session. Now, as you can see, our syllabus is quite lengthy, and it will be a challenge to cover a semester’s worth of content in four weeks, but—”

“But thank goodness we have an experienced GA as well as a tenured professor in place to facilitate your learning!” Rey stood, smiling at the class. “I’m Rey Kenobi, and I’ll be your grad assistant this semester. I hope you’ll feel comfortable asking either myself or Dr. Solo for any guidance you may need so that we can make this summer session as enjoyable and productive as possible for you all.”

Rey chanced a glance at Ben, whose face seemed to be frozen in carbonite, so shocked was he by her interruption. She winked at him, garnering the pleasing response of his eyes darkening in—rage? irritation? _something_ —before gesturing for him to continue his spiel. 

“Right. Yes.” Ben cleared his throat again. “If you will all turn to page three of the syllabus, we will review our course calendar and discuss the major assignments…”

* * *

Ninety minutes and 12 pages later, Ben finally dismissed the students for their first break of the day. Rey stretched her neck, cracking the stiff vertebrae and exhaling heavily. The classroom had emptied significantly by the time she turned to Ben.

“I honestly can’t believe _you’re_ Professor Solo. I’ve heard about you, you know. And I never would have matched the nice guy from the coffee shop with Dr. Doom and Gloom.” Rey rolled her eyes and pulled out her laptop, navigating to the course dashboard just for something to do with her hands.

Ben scoffed. He’d really hit his stride during the review, regaining the cockiness Rey had seen in his emails. “I won’t apologize for having high expectations of my students. It helps them excel.”

Rey snorted inelegantly. “High expectations? Is that what they call being an authoritarian automaton nowadays?”

“I’ll have you know, Miss Kenobi, that I’ve been teaching this course for longer than you’ve been working on your doctorate. And teaching it well, I might add.” He glared down at her from his seated position nearby, still significantly, aggravatingly, taller than her.

“Your definition of the word ‘well’ and mine seem to differ.”

“Good thing all language is based on interpretation,” he murmured dryly, opening his own computer. “Before I begin my preliminary lecture on just that, let’s discuss your role in the course.”

Rey laughed, her scorn evident. “A lecture? On language interpretation? After the students have just spent 90 minutes being _lectured_ at?” Her amusement gave way to fury when she saw the blank look on his stupid, serious face. “You aren’t joking.”

“Of course I’m not. I’ve never had a problem with the way I run this course.” Ben stood, taking the lull in their argument as an opportunity to remove his blazer. With the morning having dragged on, the sun was rising in the sky and Millenium Hall was approaching its signature hellish temperature.

Apt, Rey thought, watching idly as Ben’s broad chest came more clearly into view, the linen shirt he wore doing nothing to hide the strong planes of his body. Yes, this building was very hot, Rey continued to muse to herself, having to focus her train of thought more forcibly as Ben unbuttoned his cuffs and began rolling up the sleeves, his forearms sliding into view with each movement of his wrist.

Very hot, indeed. The building. Yeah, the building.

Rey snapped her focus back to the irritation she felt with Professor Solo, ripping her thoughts away from the attraction it was evident she still felt toward Coffee Shop Ben. 

With a grumble, she stood and peeled off her own sweater. The classroom became noticeably cooler as she scooped her hair back off of her neck and into a low bun, twisting it into submission with the aid of a pencil. Hair managed, she slid one hand down the bare skin of her shoulder, rubbing at the tension there.

She glanced over to Ben, who was watching her with something akin to irritation written on his face.

“What? We’ve passed the introductory stages; we don’t need to be so concerned with being formal with our students.”

“I—right.”

“So, GA responsibilities,” Rey said, stabbing a finger onto the syllabus in front of her, the other hand still rubbing at the stiffness in her neck—no doubt brought on by the sheer immobility required in Professor Solo’s lectures thus far. “We can divide course modules, and I can lead the ones I feel confident about. Or we can split grading some way, either by student or by assignment type.” She sighed heavily and glanced at Ben, who was watching her with one brow raised. “I would’ve liked to have had some input on the syllabus. You’re not the only one having to adapt here, you know.” 

“GAs don’t grade. They don’t lecture.” His voice was flat. “And they certainly don’t contribute to the syllabus. Not in my classes, anyway.”

“Well, they do now,” Rey shot back. “It’s that, or you go without a GA for the session. And you know Dr. Phasma isn’t going to let that fly. So, by the end of the day today, let me know what you’d prefer I take the lead on. And for god’s sake, please get the students talking, or writing, or moving, or _anything_ besides just sitting in their chairs trying to stay awake listening to you.”

With that, Rey snapped her laptop shut and hurried up the stairs, stepping into the hallway and yanking out her phone with just a few minutes to spare before the break ended.

 **reyreybutt** at 10:03 am **  
** _Guys you will never believe this but hot coffee shop guy ben_  
 _And asshole professor solo_  
 _ARE THE SAME PERSON_  
 _I am in hell_

 **steviecuddles** at 10:04 am  
 _Ooof, Rey. fuck._

 **eekaythegeekay** at 10:04 am  
 _Whaaaat? Are you sure you didn’t oversleep, have a nightmare, and are telling us this as your coping mechanism?_

 **1witchywoman** at 10:04 pm  
 _Maybe he has a twin_  
 _An evil twin_

 **reyreybutt** at 10:05 am  
 _I wish. If he did, it would be a very evil twin. he doesn’t want me to do anything._  
 _Guys, he handed me a stack of papers to pass out at the start of class._

 **sexyLexi** at 10:05 am  
 _What the fuck I’m on my way, somebody get my knives_

 **eekaythegeekay** at 10:06 am  
 _That’s ridiculous. keep at him, Rey. you’ll wear him down. He’s got to let you do_ something _._

 **mamaHannah** at 10:06 am  
 _We all know you’re smarter than him. You’ve got so much to teach those students. Don’t let him keep you from doing that._  
 _And if he tries...let us know and we’ll be there with knives_

 **steviecuddles** at 10:06 am  
 _Yes we will, all the knives. You got this girl._

 **sexyLexi** at 10:07 am  
 _YOU GOT THIS YOU BEAUTIFUL BITCH_

 **reyreybutt** at 10:08 am  
 _thanks ladies_  
 _send help, send jesus, send whatever you’ve got_  
 _OK here i go...once more unto the breach!!_

Rey slid her phone into the pocket of her dress and made a run for the restroom with the remainder of their break. She found herself splashing cold water on her cheeks once more, only this time, she wasn’t trying to convince herself of her worth. She _knew_ she was good enough to _teach_ this damn course, and she wouldn’t let a mansplaining, pompous ass of a traditionalist shove aside her expertise.

 _I am a writer, I am a writer, I am a writer!_ Rey chanted to herself, drying her hands and repeating the phrase her friends had instilled into her head, half a million words ago. _And writers teach writers,_ she added, tacking on her own personal mantra.

She wasn’t being argumentative, Rey reminded herself as she approached the classroom once more. Her irritation had as much to do with Professor Solo’s dismissal of her as it did with the value she placed on writing intrinsically. If it had saved her life, it could save others. _That’s_ why she was here, and she’d see it through, easy or not.

With a determined nod and her heart centered once more, Rey sailed back into the classroom with a smile on her face and a skip in her step.

She had something Ben Solo could _never_ teach, nor demand: a true passion for words. They would be her guide through what would surely be a hellish summer session, and Rey felt optimistic about that thought. After all, they’d never let her down yet.


	3. a show of hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey meets the Dean of the English department, gets some valuable advice, and refines her strategy for dealing with one Dr. Benjamin Solo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my gal pals to whom this fic is dedicated. Their wisdom and feedback in sprints influenced lots of this chapter! <3

**To** : rkenobi2111@naboou.edu  
 **From** : gphasmaeddchair@naboou.edu  
 **Cc:** lskywalkerphddean@naboou.edu  
 **Subject:** Re: ENG 332 Concerns

_Dear Rey,_

_Thank you for trusting me with your concerns via that rather lengthy email. While I appreciate that Dr. Solo can be a bit...unconventional in his approach to dealing with colleagues, the fact remains that he is one of our institution’s best assets and will be a wonderful resource for you as you transition into your studies here at Naboo U. Because your research interests diverge, you will not have much contact with Dr. Solo beyond your work together this summer, if that is any reassurance._

_It sounds, though, like you may need a more immediate strategy for co-teaching with Dr. Solo this session. I am copying our Dean on this email so that you may connect with him. As Dr. Solo’s former advisor, he may provide some valuable advice._

**_Gwendolyn Phasma, EdD  
_ ** **_English Department Chair_ **

**To** : rkenobi2111@naboou.edu  
 **From** : lskywalkerphddean@naboou.edu  
 **Cc:** gphasmaeddchair@naboou.edu   
**Subject:** Re: Re: ENG 332 Concerns

_Rey,_

_I would be delighted to wax poetic about Dr. Solo’s many obnoxious qualities, but we will save that for our meeting. Please feel free to stop by my office any time this afternoon; my office hours are from two to six, and no one ever really comes to them, thank god._

_LS_

**_Luke Skywalker, PhD  
_ ** **_Dean, College of English_ **

Rey snorted out a laugh as she finished re-reading the Dean’s reply on her phone. It looked like Ben may have learned some of his more antisocial habits from his former advisor, though Rey couldn’t imagine anyone in academia being as unpleasant as Dr. Solo.

She put him out of her mind as she walked through campus, the sun beginning to sink in the sky as the day wore on. It had been an exhausting several days, with constant tension between her and Ben seemingly everywhere: in class, where they bickered and fought for control of the lectures; in a rather testy comments section in their shared Google docs; and even in the mornings at Caf. Rey had finally snapped last night, after a particularly obnoxious email from him had made her so angry she’d completely lost her ability to write any sort of coherent Kylo Ren without her beloved comfort character taking on the qualities of her mortal enemy.

Admittedly, perhaps Rey shouldn’t have sent the somewhat desperate-sounding email to Dr. Phasma so late at night, but the chair’s response had been warm and supportive, as all her previous interactions with the woman had been.

Still, the promise of some sort of solution had been all that had gotten her through the day’s class. She’d read the email from Dr. Skywalker at lunch, furiously bolting down a sandwich that she’d taken to having outside, just so she could get away from Ben.

Rey was fully aware she was scowling at just the thought of the infuriating man, and endeavored to wipe the expression off her face and _not_ stomp up the stairs to Century Hall.

The worn linoleum floors of the building were comforting to Rey, familiar in a way the marble and columns of Millenium Hall were not. She took the stairs, fire doors banging and echoing as she pushed through them on the climb to the fourth floor. She emerged into a narrow hallway, carpeted and poorly lit, lined with doors on either side. Finally, she found the Dean’s office, though it was well hidden in a corner.

Rey squared her shoulders and took a deep breath before knocking at the heavy wooden door before her. The sound echoed dully down the deserted corridor, and she could see a hint of movement behind the frosted glass doors characteristic of Century Hall.

The door swung inward, opening to reveal a stocky man with kind blue eyes.

“Dr. Skywalker?” Rey asked.

The man smiled. “Guilty. You must be Rey. Come on in.” He stood back, allowing Rey to enter the office.

She froze, blinking, trying to take it all in, as the weathered professor opened the door fully and then circled her to sit behind his desk.

His desk, which was piled high with papers. Not just the usual stacks of academic-minded individuals, but absolutely _towering_ with stacks of books, manuals, handouts, and what looked to be student writing. The piles crested where they leaned against the wall, cascading down over the desk and onto one of the two visitors’ chairs. The leather-backed furniture seemed to encourage the mountain’s volume, with yet more papers spilling over the desk, beyond the chair, and onto the floor.

“There must be fifty years’ worth of paperwork in here,” Rey blurted, before clapping a hand over her mouth.

Dr. Skywalker barked a laugh. “Didn’t mean to say that out loud, did you?” 

“I’m sorry, Dr. Skywalker—I just—”

“Call me Luke,” he said warmly, and Rey looked up to see his blue eyes twinkling in mirth. “Sit down—I promise The Beast is structurally sound. It’s been growing for 40 years, after all.”

Rey moved slowly into the empty chair, shuffling her feet so they wouldn’t tread on any of the debris. She glanced around the rest of the office, taking in the walls of books, the framed diplomas and awards, and the worn chair in which Dr. Skywalker—Luke—sat, watching her, eyes twinkling warmly.

“How can I help you, Ms. Kenobi?”

Right—she’d come here for an actual reason, Rey reminded herself. She cleared her throat and sat up a bit straighter.

“Well, I’m new to Naboo U this year,” she began, “and wasn’t planning to begin teaching and researching fully until the fall.”

“Remind me of your course of study?” Dr. Skywalker prompted.

“I’m pursuing a doctorate in language and writing, with a focus on the creative process and literary studies.”

He leaned forward in his chair, the baggy dress shirt he was wearing pillowing over his forearms. “And where did you get your BA?”

“Oh, um, I have an MFA, actually—but, nowhere, really,” Rey mumbled, always uncomfortable with her community college origins.

“Come on, you can’t get degrees from nowhere.”

“Jakku U,” Rey said.

“Well, that is pretty much nowhere,” Luke agreed with a smile. “Still, your course of study sounds interesting, and you must have a good head on your shoulders for the department to let you teach with Ben Solo. So how can I help you?”

Rey laughed humorlessly. “Well, that’s just it, sir—there’s very little working _with_ Ben Solo happening, and no teaching. I think he expects me to work _for_ him.” Rey was sure her bewilderment was written all over her face.

Professor Skywalker hummed and leaned back in his chair, folding his fingers. “Dr. Solo isn’t the easiest faculty member to work with, I’ll admit, but he is well-respected in his field, and an expert in his course content.”

“I know,” Rey agreed hastily. “I just—he’s very...old school,” she hedged. “Seems to think I’m not qualified to teach or grade or...anything, really.”

“I used to be old school, too, you know,” Luke murmured, almost to himself. “My research was so tied to classic texts, to archaic methods. But I learned, in time, that it’s better to let those things go.” He laughed aloud, eyebrows raising in surprise as his mind took him to an unexpected memory. “I remember one of my professors burning a bunch of old books just to open my eyes to how useless they were. ‘Page-turners, they were not,’ he used to say.”

Luke hummed and shook his head. “Unfortunately, I had to realize for myself that it was better to innovate, to _create_ , than to constantly imitate and uphold the old.”

Rey was fascinated. Dr. Skywalker’s work was renowned in their field; he was a pioneer of progressive pedagogy related to the teaching of writing and the study of the written word.

“I was Dr. Solo’s advisor through that shift in my perspective,” Luke continued. “He’d been molded in the old style, and my initial tutelage didn’t help that.” The older man sighed, raising a hand to his temple. “Ben Solo was _wicked_ smart—filled with the raw intelligence that all mentors long to see. But, like a fool, I squandered that talent. I was content to let him uphold the status quo, and in the end, when I was able to find my niche in academia, I lost Dr. Solo. I was a good scholar, but not a good teacher.”

Luke Skywalker’s blue eyes blazed into hers. “You, I sense, are both. A rare talent, and one I don’t want to see wasted.” Luke leaned forward once more. “What Ben Solo needs is a teacher—a teacher who, like Master Yoda did for me, will help him see the value in progress. A grand gesture, if you will.”

Rey blinked, unsure of how to respond to this diatribe, as enthusiastic as it was. “Um—”

“Yes, yes, I know you’re just a grad assistant, and that you come from nowhere, and blah blah blah. But honestly, you’re a breath of fresh air. You’re just what Dr. Solo needs.”

“So...a grand gesture,” she hedged. “Like, a…” Rey trailed off, certain that Dr. Skywalker was leading somewhere, but unsure exactly _where._

“Perhaps a successful day leading class, however that may happen,” Luke mused aloud. “Maybe an assignment that delves into the students’ interests and needs, and how Dr. Solo may be falling short of meeting those. Possibly a coup,” he concluded with a flourish. “I’ll take care of Dr. Solo. You take care of the students. Deal?”

“Um, I think so?” Rey hedged. Her mind was already spinning, filled with ideas for discussions she’d been wanting to dive into, ways that the course could meet its full potential. But was her participation in this subterfuge strictly professional? She’d never do this to any old colleague, but with _Ben—_

He had this coming. 

She smiled slowly. “I’m in.”

With a nod and a grin, Luke stood. “I’m counting on you, Rey.”

Rey took her cue and stood to leave, gathering her bag and papers. “Thank you, Dr. Skywalker—Luke. I won’t let you down.” With a small grin, she tossed him a brief salute and hustled out of the cluttered office, already working through her most engaging ideas in her mind on the walk home.

* * *

Everyone knew Rey was particular about her work space. You could wander into her bedroom, poke through her bathroom cabinets, dig into her purse—totally fine. But when you started shifting the piles of papers on her desk around, or peeking in one of the many notebooks she had, or touching her books—heaven forbid—feral Rey would emerge.

Because this was a well-known fact about Rey, her desk area was always an oasis of calm for her. And whenever she had a particularly difficult plot tangle to work through or an intricate lesson objective to design, Rey could be found at said desk, earbuds in, music blasting, surrounded by the stuff of her particular brand of literacy. 

Tonight, Rey was even more chaotic than usual: her latest update was front and center, and she was torn about what to do with Kylo and Kira. She had her writing friends beside her virtually, offering motivation and jokes. Her web browser was open to multiple tabs—the Galaxy Wars encyclopedia, her school email, and her favorite writing playlist.

_Kylo had disappeared just before they’d finished their heated discussion, as he tended to do whenever their mental sparring veered into anything remotely serious. Kira tried not to dwell on how good he’d looked tonight, how silky his black hair had looked as it had shone in the firelight. She most definitely didn’t reminisce on the way his full lips had trembled just before he spoke, or how she had imagined those lips—_

A notification from her email tore Rey away from her characters’ idiocy, and she clicked into the tab hurriedly.

**To** : rkenobi2111@naboou.edu  
 **From** : lskywalkerphddean@naboou.edu  
 **Subject:** heads up

_Rey,_

_Thanks for visiting today. I’ve taken care of everything we discussed. Have a good night._

_LS_

**_Luke Skywalker, PhD  
_ ** **_Dean, College of English_ **

Rey giggled a little. How very cryptic of Dr. Skywalker. She wiggled in her seat, clicking back into her fic, picking up her thoughts from where they’d left off.

_A grand gesture was what he needed, Kira decided. Kylo didn’t seem to understand any of the subtle signals she’d sent him, from firelit conversations to full-on battles. She needed to do something big to get through that thick skull of his. She needed to show, not tell, that she believed in him—that she was on_ **_his_ ** _side, that it wasn’t about good or evil for her, that it was about_ **_him_ ** _. And her._

_Together._

_Kira narrowed her eyes and tossed her—_

Rey sat back. _Show_ , not tell, that Kira believed in Kylo. 

Her students needed that, too. They needed to think about writing by _doing_ it—they needed to consider techniques and story structures not through lectures, but by studying how it had been done, and then doing it themselves.

Innovation, not imitation, Rey thought, thinking back to Dr. Skywalker’s words in his office.

She quickly clicked into her blank google doc, titled “Recipe for a Coup,” and started typing bullet points as quickly as her fingers could fly. Ideas flew from her fingertips. 

They’d need to start small, with poems, playing with different words and their shades of meaning. Then they could move on to one-shots, which, well, she’d probably have to call them something other than one-shots because in fanfiction that was sometimes code for just smut—maybe she could call it a scene? too BDSM? she could come back to that—writing something short to practice a skill they’d studied, and putting their own twists on it. But how would they know their own styles—hmm, she could have them do some kind of discussion or partner interview to figure out a lens through which to write— 

Rey’s email dinged again, ripping her away from the half-written lesson plan, as it were. She clicked into the other tab.

**To** : bsolophd@naboou.edu  
 **From** : presidentlorgana@naboou.edu  
 **Cc:** rkenobi2111@naboou.edu   
**Subject:** Meeting Tomorrow

_Dear Dr. Solo,_

_An urgent matter requires your attention, as well as your presence, tomorrow morning in my office at 9:00 sharp. After checking your schedule, I realize you have a class at that time, but I see you have a GA who is more than qualified to take over in your absence. I have copied her on this email._

_I apologize for the lateness of this email, but the matter does require urgent attention._

_Best,  
_ _Leia_

_PS — Welcome to Naboo U, Rey! I look forward to meeting you at the faculty mixer in a few weeks._

**_Leia Organa  
_ ** **_President, Naboo University_ **

Rey wriggled in her seat with glee, even as her eyebrows threatened to disappear into her hairline. Luke hadn’t been kidding when he said he’d take care of Ben—he’d really pulled out the big guns with President Organa. Damn.

Clicking back into the app she shared with her writing friends, Rey excitedly typed out a summary of Luke’s machinations.

_**steviecuddles at 9:22 pm**  
_ _wowwwww he really wasn’t playing_

**_1witchywoman at 9:22 pm  
_ ** _This guy is diabolical, truly  
_ _I love it_

**_eekaythegeekay at 9:22 pm  
_ ** _That is amazing! I am so entertained!! LOL_

**_sexyLexi at 9:23 am  
_ ** _epic but we are all forgetting the most important question  
_ _what did professor soggy ballsack say about all of this_

**_reyreybutt at 9:24 pm  
_ ** _lol that’s actually a great question, i don’t think he replied yet_

**_mamaHannah at 9:25 pm  
_ ** _So what’s your lesson plan, Rey? What will you do with all this freedom????_

**_1witchywoman at 9:25 pm  
_ ** _ooo he is NOT gonna be happy_

**_sexyLexi at 9:26 pm  
_ ** _I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HIM LOSE HIS SHIT_

Rey hummed and clicked back into her email, refreshing the tab a few times. Sure enough, a reply from Ben was forthcoming.

**To** : rkenobi2111@naboou.edu  
 **From** : bsolophd@naboou.edu  
 **Subject:** Class Tomorrow

_Ms. Kenobi,_

_As you no doubt saw, my presence is required at a meeting tomorrow morning. I will email the class and ask them to report to class at 10:00 instead of 8:30; no doubt they will enjoy the opportunity to sleep in, and then I can conduct class as usual._

_Apologies for the late notice._

_BOS_

**_Professor B. Solo, PhD  
_ ** **_Assistant Chair, English Department_ **

Rey barked out an incredulous laugh. The absolute _nerve_ of this man! To think that she’d found him at all attractive was absurd to her, now. The sexy, bookish man from the coffee shop was nothing like the pigheaded oaf currently filling her inbox with utter nonsense.

Gritting her teeth, Rey screenshotted the infuriatingly presumptuous email and sent it to her writing friends, then opened a reply of her own. 

**To** : bsolophd@naboou.edu  
 **From** : rkenobi2111@naboou.edu  
 **Cc:** presidentlorgana@naboou.edu  
 **Subject: Re:** Class Tomorrow

_Dr. Solo,_

_I feel quite certain that Dr. Organa would not have requested your presence had she felt your delay would cause class to be canceled. I am eager to lead discussion tomorrow morning, and will be happy to keep us on track with the scheduled topics on the syllabus._

_Dr. Organa, I apologize for the flurry of emails—I thought you’d like to be made aware of Dr. Solo’s assumption, as I’m sure you wouldn’t want to inconvenience him with this meeting request._

_Thanks!  
_ _Rey_

_PS - I look forward to meeting you soon, too, Dr. Organa!_

**_~just a lowly grad assistant too unimportant to have an email signature~_ **

Rey snickered as she hit send, leaving both the original text of Ben’s email to her, as well as her own cheeky email signature, in place. She sent another screenshot to her friends, eagerly awaiting what were certain to be their amusing responses.

_**sexyLexi at 9:34 pm  
** Holy fuck  
U CC’D HIS BOSS  
YOU SASSY QUEEN _

_**steviecuddles at 9:35 pm  
** Dr. Organa  
omg  
I just love it _

_**mamaHannah at 9:35 pm  
** This scenario is giving me life _

_**1witchywoman at 9:35 pm  
** THAT IS HILARIOUS  
this is gold _

_**eekaythegeekay at 9:36 pm  
** I just snorted so loud I knocked poor Za onto the floor _

_**reyreybutt at 9:36 pm  
** Oh shoot, sorry kitty!!!! _

_**sexyLexi at 9:36 pm  
** what a masochistic piece of shit  
honestly who the duck does he think he is!!!!! _

_**eekaythegeekay at 9:37 pm  
** …...duck _

_**mamaHannah at 9:37 pm  
** I mean he clearly thinks he’s everything and he’s clearly...not. _

_**sexyLexi at 9:38 pm  
** but I gotta say, this underhanded bullshit is getting me curious  
what does he look like  
you told us he was cute coffee shop guy, but you know we’re here for that HOT guy, not that cute guy, because you deserve it  
and also because if he’s hot then this whole asshole lewk is hot _

**_reyreybutt at 9:39 pm  
_ ** _well..._

**_sexyLexi at 9:40 pm  
_ ** _OH OH HO_

**_mamaHannah at 9:40 pm  
_ ** _I sense a lack of denial_

**_1witchywoman at 9:41 pm  
_ ** _hmmmm looks like the man has our reyrey tongue tied_

**_sexyLexi at 9:42 pm  
_ ** _LISTEN DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON WHAT THAT MAN’S TONGUE SHOULD BE DOING TO OUR REY IF HE IS HOT AND ANTAGONISTIC  
_ _YOU KNOW I WILL START MONOLOGUING_

**_steviecuddles at 9:43 pm  
_ ** _MONOLOGUE! DO IT!  
_ _….but in the meantime, tell us, Rey….what does he look like?_

Rey sat back in her chair, thinking. What was it about Ben that was attractive? It wasn’t necessarily his features, it was more his...magnetism. His presence. His confidence.

As maddening as his cocky attitude was, it was also what made him so sexy. It was that assuredness that not only drew Rey to him, but his students, as well. No matter how boring his methods were, his voice was hypnotizing; the sheer conviction he exuded kept students attentive, if not authentically engaged.

The way he spoke, as though he believed every word was of the utmost importance...the way his hands were never still as he lectured, sweeping through the air or through his thick black locks...the way his eyes would gleam with the fervor of his lesson, as though what he was imparting was as essential as breath itself.

Rey shivered. To some people, confidence was sexy. To her, it appeared that... _competence_ was sexy?

Even when shrouded in irritating, patriarchal, traditionalist, unimaginative— 

Rey took a deep breath.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, and she tilted her head back and forth, debating a reply to her friends. How could she put the infuriatingly attractive package that was Ben Solo into words?

Rey was saved by a chime from her inbox, and she exhaled in relief as she opened her newest email.

**To** : bsolophd@naboou.edu  
 **From** : presidentlorgana@naboou.edu  
 **Cc:** rkenobi2111@naboou.edu   
**Subject: Re: Re:** Class Tomorrow

_Benjamin,_

_Do not even think about it. I’ll see you at 9, and Ms. Kenobi will conduct class. We will discuss this further tomorrow._

_Leia_

_PS - Rey, I apologize for Dr. Solo’s buffoonery._

**_Leia Organa  
_ ** **_President, Naboo University_ **

Rey snorted in delighted disbelief, a wide smile creasing her cheeks, giggles bubbling up her throat each time she re-read the email. By the time she screenshotted the President’s reply and sent it to her friends, Rey could barely stay upright, she was laughing so hard. She almost— _almost_ —felt sorry for Ben, being so neatly put in his place, and by the president of the university, no less.

But, she reassured herself, he deserved it. He needed to be taken down a peg or two.

With a sigh, Rey sent a message to her friends’ group chat that she needed to get to work, and set her status online to _do not disturb._ Her lesson plan beckoned, and Rey finished typing out her ideas, involving the word-level dissection and discussion of a variety of texts, plus open-ended activities that helped students practice applying the techniques they’d noticed in their perusal of what everyone was reading. She left in time for discussion and questions, confident she could get a great deal accomplished in the hour or two she’d have to herself before Dr. Solo returned to class.

Rey yawned and leaned back in her desk chair, pulling her earbuds out of her ears and feeling the peculiar stiffness of perception that accompanied the action. 

Though she hadn’t finished the latest chapter of her _Galaxy Wars_ fic, Rey felt that the night had been a productive one. She’d laughed more than she had in ages, been creatively inspired, and had been intellectually generative: all things she’d recommend her students do as writers, just as soon as she saw them tomorrow morning.

With a happy smile, she closed her laptop, double-checked the lock on her apartment door, and dove into bed. Rey snuggled under the covers and picked up her bedside book—the first in a trilogy of magical, romantic, enemies-to-lovers escapist fantasies—and felt, as she often did, ever so thankful to live the life she led: one filled with writing, and reading, and thinking and talking all day long about those, her two favorite things in the world.

When she fell asleep, less than an hour later, with the bedside light still burning and her paperback splayed across her pillow, Rey's smile was still on her lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting, and leaving kudos--and for being part of the fic community that makes writing so much fun.
> 
> Find me on twitter or discord at dyadinbloom.


End file.
